UK teen bludgeoned by flatmate

A UK court has heard how a man attacked his teenage flatmate and left him for dead with a hammer embedded in his skull.

The man, Joseph Williams 21, attacked 21-year-old Connor Huntley whilst he was asleep. Huntley had only moved into Williams’ apartment that afternoon.

The openly gay teenager survived the life threatening injury after an operation to remove the hammer was successful.

The court was told the victim often wore women’s clothing and that Williams, who was from a strict Catholic family was known for making homophobic comments in the past.

The pair did not know each other before Huntley moved into the flat.

The jury heard that Williams left the flat on May 27, to go to see his girlfriend, leaving Huntley and his friends cleaning the apartment. When he returned home in the early hours of May 28, he was said to have attacked Huntley in his sleep.

When one of Huntley’s friends arrived at 1030am, Williams told her that Huntley was still sleeping.

He is then said to have made a 999 call and told the operator he had hit Huntley on the head with a hammer and that he was dead.

When the prosecutor asked if there was a reason for the attack Williams replied, ‘No, my mental health just deteriorated.’

The court heard Huntley had been hit with the hammer at least two times and that the final blow had left the hammer embedded in his skull.

An expert concluded that the blows must have been inflicted with severe force, the court heard.

Willaims has claimed diminished capacity - citing a depressive illness and said he was unable to form the intent to kill or cause harm because of this.